An experimental investigation of glucose-loaded nanocapsules on flight endurance in living organism

• Main Author: Foo, Tanamate Yong Qin
• Other Authors: Hirotaka Sato
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Bioengineering; Engineering::Aeronautical engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/142025
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The project aims to test if glucose encapsulated in thermosensitive liposomes improves muscle endurance of the beetle. The giant flower beetle (Mecynorrhina Torquata) will be used as test subjects in this study as they have been used as the platform for cyborg insect development, and this paper aims to extend the research done on these insects. Glucose, a common energy source, was encapsulated inside temperature sensitive liposomes and injected into the beetle’s flight muscles. The release of glucose from the liposomes was triggered by the increase in temperature of the beetle’s muscles during aerobic and anaerobic respiration while in flight. These results have suggested that some liposomes encapsulating glucose and could improve muscle endurance. However, further studies need to be conducted as the standard deviation in the results are too high and errors are too significant to form a strong conclusion. Therefore, for future work, more beetles should be tested, and possibly different apparatus used.